Portret Jan Hendrik van Grootvelt 1829 - 1849

This is Petrus Marius Molijn’s “Portret Jan Hendrik van Grootvelt,” a lithograph. The composition is simple: a portrait of a man set against a neutral backdrop. The lithographic technique here captures a range of tonal values, creating subtle contrasts and a soft texture. This gentle gradation gives form to the sitter’s face and clothing, lending a three-dimensional quality. The artist's use of hatching and cross-hatching adds depth and volume to the image. This emphasis on tonal variation and detailed rendering aligns with the 19th-century realist tradition, where artists focused on depicting subjects with meticulous accuracy. The lithograph's structure invites us to consider the interplay between the surface of the print and the illusion of depth. The artist manipulates the viewer's perception, drawing us into a world of representation, while reminding us of the materiality of the work itself. This duality is at the heart of the piece’s formal and aesthetic power.